Wally Teninga
| Date of birth | February 14, 1928 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Roseland, Chicago, Illinois |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Halfback |
| College | Michigan |
| NFL draft |
1949 / Round: 17 / Pick: 166 (by the New York Giants) |
Walter Henry "Wally" Teninga (born February 14, 1928) is a former American football halfback and businessman. He played for the University of Michigan's undefeated national championship teams in 1947 and 1948 and later became the vice chairman and chief financial officer of the Kmart Corporation.
A native of Chicago, Teninga was the son of Cornelius and Emma Teninga. He was the youngest of five children and grew up at 10718 Normal Avenue in the Roseland section of Chicago's south side. He attended Morgan Park High School where he was a starting halfback for three years on the varsity team.
Teninga enrolled at the University of Michigan where he played football for the Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1945 and 1947 to 1949. He was a member of the 1945 team that first employed the two-platoon system of football in a game against Army in Yankee Stadium. At age 17, Teninga started seven games at left halfback for the 1945 Wolverines, and was the Wolverines' leading ground gainer.
Teninga missed the 1946 season while serving in the U.S. Army. He returned to Ann Arbor in 1947 and was a member of the university's undefeated national championship teams of 1947 and 1948. In 1947, Teninga was the team's punter, defensive right halfback, and second string offensive halfback behind Bob Chappuis and Bump Elliott.
In 1948, he shared the right halfback position with Leo Koceski and also handled punting duties, averaging 41.5 yards per punt. A newspaper profile of Teninga in 1949 described his versatility as a backfield player:
"He passes sufficiently well and Oosterbaan has no doubts of his ability to handle Michigan's multipronged offense. . . . Teninga, now taking reserve officer's training at Camp Lee, has had an odd career at Michigan. One of Fritz Crisler's gallant 17 year olds in '45, he divided the tailback with Pete Elliott. Then he was in the Army for two years. When Teninga returned in '47, Fritz Crisler had his Magicians, Yerges, Bump Elliott, Bob Chappuis and Jack Weisenberger. Walt became the handy man, drilling at four positions but seeing little play at any. Teninga's punting is one reason Oosterbaan would like to have him a regular. Under new substitution rules, a coach needs a solid kicker in his offensive unit at all times. Otherwise he may have to use a valuable time out."
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